Improving Medication Tolerance: A Pilot Study in Disorders of Gut-brain Interaction Treated With Tricyclic Antidepressants

Objectives: Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) are commonly used to treat disorders of gut-brain interaction (DGBI). However, these medications are often associated with side effects that lead to early treatment discontinuation. Research in other chronic medical conditions suggests that many TCA side effects may be caused by nocebo (negative placebo) effects. The current study tests a brief, verbal intervention aimed at improving tolerance of TCAs in DGBI by providing education about nocebo effects. Materials and Methods: This pilot randomized controlled trial was performed in a tertiary care gastroenterology clinic. Participants with DGBI were randomized “standard information,” describing the benefits and risks of TCAs, or “augmented information,” which included an additional
Source: Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology - Category: Gastroenterology Tags: Alimentary Tract: Original Articles Source Type: research